I remember in 5th grade I had to write a note to myself that was going to be buried in a time capsule. We are supposed to dig it up in the year 2020 (I think). (Does anyone who went to Walt Whitman Elementary School remember?)

Anyway, the sealed letter was about how we hope we’d turn out. I remember so clearly writing about how I’d be happily married with kids and have a wonderful and thriving business that was very well known. I had no idea what kind of business but I just knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur.

I guess that’s from my father. Since I was a little kid, he has always told me, “If you want to make a lot of money, you have to work for yourself,” among many other things like, “If you put your mind to something, you can accomplish anything you want!”

But I think there’s one major difference between my generation and his. I believe his generation only cared about making money.

Michael Gerber, one of my favorite business authors, (and somehow I happen to be on the same list as him!?) wrote in this interview with Tim Ferris:
“Today’s entrepreneur is more likely to be interested in meaning rather than money. Money that comes with the absence of meaning is too big a price to pay for the new entrepreneur. Understand, I’m not saying that everyone I meet today has the question of meaning in mind. But, when I begin the conversation about meaning, more people I meet today are interested in having the conversation than ever before.”

Interestingly enough, I care way more about meaning than money. My ultimate satisfaction will come from helping millions of people not from becoming a millionaire many times over.

My meaning occurs when I get praise like this and this and this and this and this, etc., etc. That’s what it’s all about. I’m not saying every entrepreneur cares about meaning. Many don’t. I’m also not saying I’m running a non-profit.

I do want to make money but how I make it and the impact I’m having is far more important to me. I measure my success (and impact) on how many people we’re helping. The more money we’re making, the more people we’re helping…and that’s what it’s about.

I think the older generation would just say, “I want to make more money.”

I constantly say, “I need and want to be helping more people!” This pressure that comes from within keeps pushing me forward because I know I can help people. I almost feel like I have a responsibility…it’s this weight on my shoulders that’s very hard to describe but it comes from the fact that I truly believe MyBodyTutor can help anyone with any sort of health and fitness goal.

Going back to the title of this blog post, today is February 29th. There won’t be another February 29th until 2012. 4 years is a long time away. Your life could be completely different. You may wish for it to be completely different but you have no idea how you’re going to get there.

“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step.” -Martin Luther King, Jr.

I’m going to go back to what my father always tells me: If you put your mind to something, you can accomplish anything you want!